Rod Gillis ANA Numismatic Educator

1912 United States Coins

Liberty Head Nickel Liberty Head Type 1883 – 1912  1883 nickel appeared without the word Cents on the reverse  Some “cents-less” nickels were gold-plated and passed for five dollar pieces

1883 Nickel With Cents

1913 Buffalo Nickel Design change in 1913 from Liberty Type to Buffalo Also known as Indian Head type Bison modeled after “Black Diamond” from Central Park Zoo

Two Varieties in 1913

Buffalo Nickel

The Mystery of 1913 Samuel Brown, a one time employee of the Philadelphia Mint, places an advertisement to purchase 1913 Liberty Head nickels for $500 a piece. After advertising, Brown announces that he has acquired Liberty Head nickels but refuses to say how they were obtained.

Expensive Nickel 5 Examples of the 1913 Liberty Head nickel are known to exist nickel sold in 2007 for a reported 5 million dollars.

Which Has Greater Value? 1912 Philadelphia nickel mintage =26,236, Philadelphia nickel mintage = 5

What is it worth? It all depends on how you define Value

Where Does the Money Go? A coin minted in 1912 most likely circulated for 10 years or more. Who used the coin and what did it purchase? Where has the coin traveled?

Events of 1912 New Mexico and Arizona both enter the Union in Could your nickel have been used to buy a newspaper announcing statehood?

1912 Stockholm Olympics Modern Olympics discontinued until after the “War to End All Wars”. Jim Thorpe wins the Pentathlon and Decathlon but is stripped of his medals because it was discovered that he played semi-pro baseball in 1911 and earned $25 a week. While in Stockholm, Thorpe most likely exchanged American coins for Swedish money.

Across the Atlantic? RMS Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage April 15 th, Several passengers were Americans, some of whom survived. Could someone have carried your quarter in their purse or pocket?

Presidential Election of 1912 Republican incumbent candidate – William Howard Taft Democratic candidate – Woodrow Wilson Progressive (Bull Moose) candidate – Theodore Roosevelt

President Taft

Woodrow Wilson

Theodore Roosevelt

Alice Hathaway Roosevelt

Diary Entry

Where Did Their Change Go? All three candidates traveled across the country delivering speeches. What items did they purchase? All three candidates had change in their pockets. Did they nervously roll it around while delivering a speech?

Prices in 1912 New Jersey

Transportation A brand new Ford Model T could be purchased for $690. A one year old, used Model T could be bought for $450.

Food in 1912 The cost of bacon was 16 cents per pound. Eggs were 22 cents a dozen.

Furniture A brass bed could be purchased for $9.95. The mattress for the bed cost $ $6.50.

Real Estate in 1912 A 10 room home in Morristown, New Jersey sold for approximately $3,000. The same home near a trolley line might sell for $1,000 more.

Captain of Industry John Rockefeller Estimated to be worth 1.4 billion dollars. Gave 550 million dollars to philanthropic pursuits. Handed out dimes to children (except during the Depression when he gave nickels).

Working Wages in 1912 Male mill workers earned $8.76 per 56 hour work weeks. Women & children mill workers earned $6.00 per 56 hour work weeks.

Plight of Child Labor Furman Owens was 12 years old. He could neither read nor write and had been working at a mill in Columbia, South Carolina for the previous 4 years.

Did He Earn Your Coins? Manuel picked shrimp in Biloxi, MS. He was 5 years old when this photograph was taken. He had worked there for a year.

So Where Have Your Coins Been?

A Story to Tell A 1912 coin could have lavishly traveled the Atlantic only to come close to an iceberg. A coin could have rested in the pocket of a dignitary. A coin could have been spent by the world’s greatest athlete, or earned by a poor child helping his family survive. Help your students learn to tell the story.